


of masques and men (falling in love in 3/4 time)

by ExyCherry



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: AFTG Exchange, F/M, Masquerade Ball, aaron is WhippedTM, aaron is a simp, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-10
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:08:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26391688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExyCherry/pseuds/ExyCherry
Summary: prompt: We're both in costume, and I know exactly who you are but I'm gonna pretend that I don't so that we can maybe make-out, but oh...wait, you knew it was me?
Relationships: Katelyn/Aaron Minyard
Comments: 6
Kudos: 22
Collections: AFTG Exchange





	of masques and men (falling in love in 3/4 time)

**Author's Note:**

> written for [trojcns](https://trojcns.tumblr.com/) for the AFTG fall exchange! you can find the playlist for this fic [here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/57btVZaA9eXzPY5oZjDyUq?si=DC8tJuPyRs6UAL98LwnPdg)! just a quick personal note, [this](https://open.spotify.com/track/5uq4uSTMPrhAUcXG99PgYL?si=78wFjf6sTIWMl8xtjLCgyw) is the piece for their first dance, and [this](https://open.spotify.com/track/23uEyrfmaUDlFjejHY3CRe?si=eyHL9fGFSsit3Y3By25HIg) this the piece for the viennese waltz.

Palmetto State University’s annual masquerade charity ball is undoubtedly the most popular social event held on campus. Something about the allure of extravagant ball gowns, bright colored tuxedos, and elaborately embellished masques draws in students like bees to honey, and the charity donations are always very generous.

Aaron Minyard thinks it’s stupid.

There’s no point going to a fancy costume party when no one will even know what your costume is, and why would he spend the money to rent a tux and buy a mask when he could just put a paper sack over his head? A charity ball doesn’t have to be a masquerade, and a masquerade doesn’t have to be so tastelessly opulent. Unfortunately for his apparent disdain, Katelyn is going, and if it’s something she likes, he supposes it’s worth a shot.

Nicky is horrified at his choice of costume. He says the plague doctor mask is terrifying, and the period tux is “the ugliest thing he’s ever seen”. Aaron disagrees, but then, when does he not?

As he walks into the ball, he regrets not knowing what Katelyn’s costume is, but it’s not hard to pick out bright red hair in a sea of blondes and brunettes. She’s absolutely breathtaking in a floor length tulle gown and feathered masque, and Aaron’s heart skips a beat. He feels ridiculous all of a sudden. Here he is, dressed up like a fucking plague doctor, when the most gorgeous girl in the room has the _audacity_ to look like that. To his horror, she starts walking in his direction. 

It’s lucky she can’t see his face, because he is staring at her in awe as she crosses the room, and just as she approaches him, she trips over his foot. Instinctively, he reaches out to catch her, placing his hands on her waist and helping her regain her balance. He holds her a split second longer than strictly necessary, and he swears he can see a slight tinge of pink peeking below the edge of her masque. 

Katelyn’s not sure whether to say _Come here often?_ or _I don’t usually fall for strangers,_ and in an act of pure genius, her brain decides on, “I fall often.”

“Seems like you need someone around to catch you, then,” Aaron replies, attempting to sound suave and confident.

“I think I can catch myself unless you’re offering,” Katelyn fires back, chancing a wink.

Aaron flushes bright pink under his mask, grateful he chose this over the basic gold mask for five dollars at Party City. Dignity has no price, but a plague doctor mask cost enough to preserve what little he has left. 

“I think I’d like to ask you to dance before I offer my services as a professional damsel catcher,” he quips.

“I’ll try not to trip over you this time,” she replies with a coy smile.

Aaron leads her away from the wall and onto the dance floor just as a soft waltz floats from the speakers. He lets Katelyn lead the dance, considering she absolutely towers over him in her heels, and they fall into an easy rhythm with each other, swaying and twirling to the beat of the music.

“You’ve done this before,” Aaron says, impressed.

“My mother taught my brother and me when we were kids,” she says, allowing him to lower her into a dip as the piece draws to a close.

“Nice of her. Should we get drinks?”

She makes as if to respond, but the music quickly launches into a jaunty waltz with a much brisker pace. She grins and pulls him in again, clearly excited to dance to something livelier than before.

“I don’t suppose you’ve danced a Viennese waltz before?”

“I’ve never heard of one before in my life, actually.”

“You’re about to learn!”

Katelyn’s energy is boundless as she leads him through yet another waltz, and where he’s panting and struggling to keep up, she’s floating around the dance floor like some sort of Disney princess without the obnoxious animal sidekick.

The waltz ends with a flourish of strings and a chorus of footfalls echoing around the room. There’s a light sheen of sweat on Katelyn’s brow, and Aaron feels like his legs are about to give in. He needs a drink desperately, so he follows his dance partner to the punch table off to the side.

“Shall we find somewhere more private?” Katelyn asks, leading Aaron away from the drink table and towards an empty hallway.

“It seems like we already have,” Aaron replies.

“Then you wouldn’t mind if I did this?”

She reaches out to touch his mask, slowly pushing it up to reveal the hazel eyes and blonde hair beneath. She’s easily ten inches taller than him, so it’s a bit of a stretch when she bends down to kiss him. He laughs softly against her lips just as she pulls away.

“What?” she says, smiling mischievously. 

“Well, I think it’s only fair that you take your mask off too,” he replies nonchalantly.

“Do you normally kiss strangers?” she asks, a playful lilt to her voice.

“I try not to make a habit of it, Katelyn.”

He places his hands on her cheeks and pushes her mask up with his index and middle fingers. She blushes a light, delicate pink, a stark contrast against her black gown and auburn hair.

“How long did you know it was me?” 

“The whole time.”

Her blush deepens and she ducks her head, strands of hair falling loose from her intricate updo and framing her face. Aaron moves his hand under her chin and tilts it upward to meet his gaze.

“I wouldn’t dance with anyone else,” he murmurs.

Without another thought, he presses onto his tiptoes to brush his lips against hers. She tastes like cherry chapstick and fruit punch, he notes to himself, and it causes a small, tender smile to tug at the corners of his mouth.

“What are you smiling about, hm?” Katelyn asks.

“You,” he replies.

“Me?”

“Always you.”

“‘Always’ is a long time, are you sure you can commit to that?” she teases.

Aaron sighs and shakes his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You’re a dork,” he says, exasperated.

“I know.”

She leans down to kiss his forehead with a soft smile, and Aaron is so incredibly whipped he can already hear Allison’s good-natured teasing and Nicky’s incurable enthusiasm. He doesn’t have it in him to be annoyed though; he would walk through fire for Katelyn. Putting up with his teammates would be a cake walk.

“Come on,” Katelyn says. “Let’s dance.”

“Lead the way.”

**Author's Note:**

> as always, you can find me on tumblr [@crows-scones-and-exy-thrones](https://crows-scones-and-exy-thrones.tumblr.com/). if you enjoy my work, consider donating to [my ko-fi](https://ko-fi.com/jupitercorvusprior)!


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